SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1987
A:
WELL, YES, I AM AFRAID THAT A WRONG IMPRESSION MAY HAVE BEEN CREATED BY THIS. WE HAVE IN FACT BEEN DISCUSSING FOR SOME TIME WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND WITH THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE AIM OF A CONCERTED, COLLECTIVE APPROACH. AS FOR THE DISCREPANCY OF INFORMATION, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT THIS WAS A PIECE OF OUT-OF-DATE NEWS THAT WAS PROVIDED BY A PRESS OFFICER PROBABLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN HE WAS RUNG UP AND IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT THAT OCCURRED. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING NOW IS THAT THE ISSUE HAS BEEN STRAIGHTENED OUT AND I HAVE MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO YOU THAT WE HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING THESE DISCUSSIONS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND WITH OTHER COUNTRIES WITH A VIEW TO TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE ENDS WHICH WE ALL WANT.
Q.
-
—
(JAMES TAM]: SO WOULD YOU INFORM PROGRESS OF APPROACHES?
US MORE FREQUENTLY ON THE
A:
WELL, IF THERE IS ANY MATTER UPON WHICH WE CAN ENSURE THAT MORE REGULAR INFORMATION IS SUPPLIED, THEN CERTAINLY WE CAN DO
50. I DON'T ACTUALLY DETECT THERE IS IN GENERAL TERMS A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AMONGST EITHER THE PRESS OR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SPHERES.
Q.
(EM!LY LAU, FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW): LORD GLENARTUR I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ON BRITISH NATIONALITY. WHEN YOU SPOKE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE IN JANUARY 1986 ON THE HONG KONG ACT 1985, YOU SAID SOME HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS MAY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY UNDER SECTION 1 (5) OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981. IS IT TRUE THAT AT THAT TIME THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT GAVE UNDERTAKING TO THE 300-ODD ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS IN HONG KONG THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY UNDER PROVISION AND ALSO HOW MANY HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE APPLIED BRITISH NATIONALITY AND HOW MANY HAVE BEEN GRANTED?
A:
AN
THAT
THAT
FOR
WELL, I RECALL THAT PARTICULAR DEBATE AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN IT. CERTAIN PEOPLE, YES, WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY UNDER 4 (5). I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS AND
AM
NOT PREPARED TO GO INTO GREATER DETAIL THAN
STATED DURING THE DEBATE WHICH WAS HELD THEN, THOSE WORDS HOLD JUST
AS MUCH WATER AS THEY DID ON THAT OCCASION. I CAN'T GO INTO SPECIFIC DETAILS, I
I AM
AFRAID.
..
(EMILY LAU,); BUT DO YOU NOT OWE IT TO THE 300 ODD ALSO TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO TELL US WHO EXACTLY WILL BF APPLY FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY SUBJECT TO HONG KONG PEOPLE?
AOS AND ABLE ΤΟ IMPORTANT
A:
WELL,
1 REALISK THAT BUT I THINK YOU HAVE GOT ΤΟ UNDERSTAND THAT THE ASSURANCE THAT I GAVE WAS A VALID ASSURANCE. THAT ASSURANCE STANDS. BUT I AM AFRAID I CAN'T GO INTO THE DETAILS IN THE KAY THAT
YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO.
14.
(FMILY LAU):